Malta: My First Solo Trip

I’ll be honest—I had barely heard of Malta before I booked this trip. It ended up being my “in-between” stop after Marrakech and before linking with my bestie in Paris. I literally typed “London” into Google Flights with no destination and hit search. When Malta popped up as one of the cheapest options, I was intrigued and clicked wondering, what’s the vibe there?

The only other contender was Amsterdam. I went there as a kid and wouldn’t have minded a rerun—but Malta was giving beach, calm, solo traveler won’t get lost energy. Sold.

Day 1: Hostel Vibes & Paceville Nights

I landed in Malta ready for the unknown. I took the local bus (which is super popular there) straight from the airport, but when I neared my stop, I pressed the stop button to get off, and the bus driver looked at me like I had lost my mind—even though it was a marked stop on the route??? Still don’t know what that was about, but we move.

What I wasn't ready for was how steep and hilly the streets of Malta are. I had no idea! Dragging my suitcase up uneven stone roads, panting like I just ran a marathon—I was fighting for my life. Nobody warned me I’d need quads of steel to get to my hostel.

When I got to the hostel, I asked about early check-in. The receptionist said they usually allow it, but my bed wasn’t ready. No problem. So I waited in the common area—right outside my room—for two hours. I didn’t see a soul go in or out. At official check-in time, I was finally handed my key. Soooo… was my bed magically made at 2:00 on the dot? We’ll never know.

Once I got into the room, I met my first roommate—a cool girl from Romania—who instantly made me feel at ease. She told me everyone was going out that night and invited me to come along. I grabbed a quick dinner from Noodle Box (just a five-minute walk away), came back to the hostel, and took a much-needed nap before the night out.

Later that evening, I met the rest of my roommates: one from New Zealand, one from Taiwan. The four of us spent the night trying on outfits, hyping each other up, and getting ready like old friends—even though we’d just met. We went out to the clubs in Paceville and had the best time. Something about spontaneous friendships and music in a foreign country just hits different.

Day 2: Slushes, Sun & St. Peter’s Pool

After the night out, I let myself sleep in. No alarms. No guilt. I didn’t even hear any of my hostel mates get ready or leave. Eventually I pulled it together and headed to Tiffany’s Bistro for a late lunch—this place kept coming up in recommendations, and it didn’t disappoint. While skimming the menu, I noticed rabbit—apparently a big deal in Malta. I hovered over it for a second, trying to hype myself up to be adventurous… but ultimately, I went with the sausage. Zero regrets. 

From there, I made my way to St. Peter’s Pool for the afternoon. It’s one of those natural swimming spots that looks way too perfect to be real. Crystal-clear water, people cliff-jumping (not me though—my travel insurance don’t cover that kind of confidence), and boats gliding by like a screensaver. I sat on the rocks for a few hours—sipping slushies, sunbathing, watching boats drift by, and enjoying the warm breeze off the sea.

It was one of those days where time kind of floats and there was no pressure to do more. Just quiet contentment.

Day 3: Wandering Valletta

On my last full day, I kept it simple and decided to explore Valletta, the capital of Malta. I didn’t have a list of must-sees or a mapped route—I just walked. The buildings were pretty, the streets were quiet, and it felt good to just roam with no pressure.

I tried to check out that one famous street with the colorful stairs and all the restaurants (you’ve definitely seen it on Instagram), but when I got there, everything was closed. Total ghost town. I was hoping to grab a bite or people-watch, but it just wasn’t the vibe at the time.

At one point, I hopped onto one of the little gondola-style boats that take you from one island to the next. I let myself drift between docks, soaking in the views and letting the day unfold slowly. It was beautiful, relaxing, and a perfect reminder of why solo travel hits so hard sometimes.

Later, I grabbed a late lunch at Zitti—a cozy spot that felt like a soft landing before the trip wrapped up. I headed back to the hostel, packed up, and got ready for my super early flight to Paris the next morning.

What Malta Gave Me

Malta wasn’t planned. It was a filler stop. A good flight deal. But it ended up being exactly what I needed: time to rest, space to breathe, a little social spark, and a little stillness.

I met people I’ll never forget, danced in a random club, laid out by the sea with a slushie in hand, and reminded myself that you don’t have to have it all figured out for the trip to be worth taking.

Sometimes you just press book, show up, and let the adventure find you.